Getting Your Georgia HOA's Records

In Georgia, the right to see your association's books comes mostly from the Nonprofit Corporation Code rather than the Property Owners' Association Act — and a 2026 reform is about to add more. For your specific situation, a licensed Georgia attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.

Where does a Georgia HOA owner's right to see records come from?

Mostly from the Nonprofit Corporation Code, for associations incorporated as nonprofits. Under O.C.G.A. § 14-3-1602, a member giving written notice or demand at least five business days before the inspection date may inspect and copy core records, such as the articles, bylaws, and past three years of member-meeting minutes. Other records also require a good-faith, proper purpose.

For an association incorporated as a nonprofit, the members' inspection right of the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code is the everyday tool. Under § 14-3-1602, a member who gives "written notice or a written demand at least five business days before" the inspection date may inspect and copy core records such as the articles, bylaws, and the past three years of member-meeting minutes. For a second group of records, the demand must also be "made in good faith and for a proper purpose" reasonably relevant to the member's interest, describe "with reasonable particularity" the purpose and the records, and seek records "directly connected" with that purpose.

That second group includes "[e]xcerpts from minutes of any meeting of the board of directors," records of board-committee action, "minutes of any meeting of the members," records of action taken without a meeting, "accounting records of the corporation," and the membership list.

When the association refuses: § 14-3-1604

If the association denies a proper demand, § 14-3-1604 lets the member apply to the superior court. For the core records, the court "may summarily order inspection and copying of the records demanded at the corporation's expense"; for the second group, it must handle the application "on an expedited basis." When the court orders inspection, it also orders the association to pay the member's costs, including reasonable attorney's fees, unless the association proves it refused in good faith with "a reasonable basis for doubt" about the member's right (§ 14-3-1604(c)).

How long does a Georgia HOA have to give a statement of amounts due?

Five business days, in opted-in Property Owners' Association Act communities. Under O.C.G.A. § 44-3-232(d), on a written request delivered to its registered office, the association must furnish a statement of amounts due on a lot. Missing that deadline extinguishes its lien as to the title or interest a purchaser or lender acquires in the transaction behind the request.

For opted-in communities, the POAA adds one specific disclosure: under § 44-3-232(d), on a written request delivered to the association's registered office, the association must furnish a statement of the amounts due on a lot, and if it fails to provide that statement within five business days, its lien is extinguished as to the title or interest the purchaser or lender acquires in the transaction the request was made for. That statement can be a starting point before a lien or closing dispute.

What will change for Georgia HOA records in 2027?

From January 1, 2027, SB 406 will require 10-year retention of records on assessments, fines, fees, liens, and foreclosures (§ 43-17A-2(g)) and will let owners, on written demand, inspect and copy association records, including the past three years' finalized balance sheet, budget, profit and loss statements, and bank statements (§ 43-17A-7(1)). It sets no response deadline.

The Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act (signed May 12, 2026) layers on new transparency obligations effective January 1, 2027 — including a 10-year retention rule for records on assessments, fines, fees, liens, and foreclosures (§ 43-17A-2(g)) and an owner's right, on written demand, to inspect and copy association records, including the finalized balance sheet, budget, profit and loss statements, and bank statements for the past three years (§ 43-17A-7(1)). It sets no response deadline. A licensed Georgia attorney can confirm the current requirements as the effective dates arrive.

What owners commonly request

People reviewing the association's records often look at:

• Annual budgets, financial statements, and accounting records
• Board and member meeting minutes and notices
• The declaration, bylaws, adopted rules, and any fine schedule
• Vendor contracts, bids, and bank records
• The assessment ledger and any lien filings for the lot

For the recorded documents themselves

The recorded declaration and amendments are available from the county Clerk of Superior Court, which maintains real-estate records in Georgia. Because the recorded declaration is what created the community — and, for opted-in communities, what elected POAA coverage — it is the document that shows which framework applies.

What people generally do

For owners seeking Georgia records, a few practical points:

• A written request that cites § 14-3-1602 and describes the records and purpose specifically is the usual starting point.
• The statute sets a five-business-day notice period.
• Keeping a copy of the demand and any response is common practice.
• If a proper demand is refused, the § 14-3-1604 court route and a licensed Georgia attorney are the available resources.

Sources

• Official Code of Georgia Annotated — official public access (§§ 14-3-1602, 14-3-1604; § 44-3-232)
• Georgia SB 406 / Act 715 (2026) — enacted text signed by the Governor